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Why a January loan for Kemar Roofe could be a wise move for Leeds United

The Leeds United player needs to start regularly to get back to his best and that is not happening at Elland Road.

When Leeds United signed Kemar Roofe from Oxford United in the summer it was hailed by many as a masterstroke.

After all, here was a player that had scored 31 goals in 65 matches for Oxford, including 25 in 49 matches last season.

Despite plying his trade in League Two, many Leeds fans felt he possessed the talent to replicate his form in the Championship, but so far that has not been the case.

After calling for Roofe’s inclusion from the start, Leeds fans got their wish for the clash with Wigan Athletic on Tuesday evening, only to see the 23-year-old fall short.

With the vast majority of his Leeds appearances to date coming from the bench, it was always going to take him time to get up to speed, but the way things are looking, Roofe may not get the regular starts he needs to prompt a return to his goal-scoring best.

With that in mind, a loan move in January could be the smartest option for all concerned, with Roofe potentially being sent out to League One or another Championship side where he can start week in, week out.

It is far too early to give up on Roofe, but given his lack of impact thus far, Leeds would not be missing much if they bid a temporary farewell in the hope that he could build up his confidence and return next summer ready to finally prove his worth at Elland Road.

Vincent Ralph

After graduating with a degree in English Literature, Vincent completed a NCTJ-accredited qualification in newspaper and magazine journalism in 2005. Shortly after, in a somewhat leftfield move, he began working at a secondary school in Kent. After eight years – the last four of which were spent as Head of Sixth Form – he began to write full-time, combining his love of football with his passion for the written word.Alongside his work for HITC Sport, he also writes film reviews for HITC Lifestyle… along with the odd music interview when fate allows.